In the beginning, I just had one e-mail address. Then I needed a second for personal e-mails and then a third for junk e-mail. I joined Plaxo to keep track of e-mail addresses and soon followed that with the business-oriented LinkedIn. Facebook lets me know what my friends — and even my dogs — are doing, and instant messaging lets me communicate while I’m doing something else. And now I have Twitter [firechiefmag] for quick, short updates. People wonder why I don’t write letters any more — who has the time?

Last Wednesday morning, an airplane crashed near Amsterdam’s Schipol airport and broke into three pieces. According to CNN, Twitter published the first photos of the incident, beating out traditional news sources. Eyewitness accounts soon followed.

Twitter allows its users to send micro-blogs or messages up to 140 characters long. These “tweets” can be delivered to other users who have signed up on twitter.com. Started in October 2006, Twitter is the third-largest social network behind Facebook and MySpace.

And as anyone can post to sites like Twitter, eyewitnesses become instant reporters. It will be near impossible for fire departments to prevent these news reports from being sent. Communications with media could become fast and furious.

Twitter also can be used to the fire and emergency services’ benefit. According to David Sargent, director of the Office of Hazardous Materials Initiatives and Training for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Hazardous Materials Safety Assistance Team quickly picked up on Twitter.

“One of our objectives under President Obama and [Transportation Secretary Ray] LaHood is to make government operations more transparent,” Sargent said. “Our current plan is to [post] Twitter updates and list of daily outreach operations that are being presented by HMSAT members and other public information relevant to hazardous materials safety. The post will list the region conducting the event, a description, and it encourages people to attend if it is an open event such as a multi-modal training seminar.”

To read the HMSAT’s tweets, you need to create a user account on Twitter then search for HMSAT.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency started using Twitter last October. According to FEMA’s Web site, “We are looking to these new tools to give a voice to our constituents, provide greater access to our services and offer transparency into our organization. We are looking forward to making these and other new tools and technologies a part of how FEMA communicates.” Former FEMA Director David Paulison participated in an all-access social media press conference in January. FEMA’s Twitter account is Femainfocus.

The agency is looking at the use of social media tools, like Twitter and YouTube that have been used previously by emergency responders, civilians and mass media to gather information and disseminate emergency messages.

Sargent told me that in a recent meeting they discussed the younger generation and their skills with tech devices. “Some of these kids in their early 20s have never heard a busy signal on a telephone,” he said.

We live in an exciting time and as I’ve said before, we all need to keep up with the technology evolution. The same camera phones used to capture your fireground activities also can deliver messages about public safety and emergency information to your communities. Learn to use it. Just don’t abuse it.

I’ve been in the news business a relatively long time and spent a short period in public relations. Magazines and newspapers receive a lot of press releases. The press release is basically a faux news story sent by PR people to news outlets to gain favorable publicity for some company, product or cause. A good public-relations person will target the press release to the media outlet’s audience.

Did I mention that I get a lot of press releases? Well I do, especially now that they can be sent through e-mail without the associated paper and postage expenses. Some of these releases are very targeted and contain information important to fire chiefs. Some are far off the mark (but I admire the creative effort expended by some public-relations people trying to connect the dots back to the fire industry). And some are so far out that can only be the product of little green men from outer space. This is the tale of PR from space.

Civic groups have long held charity sales to raise money; schools have been doing this for at least 25 years. It seems you can hardly turn the corner without bumping into a pack of kids selling candy, doughnuts or wristbands for their church, band, team or school. Occasionally Baskin-Robbins will discount its ice cream and donate the sales to firefighter causes; they send out press releases about this sale.

But those are all firmly grounded here on earth. We’re here to talk about space men in shiny flying orbs.

In late December I received a press release from a fireworks manufacturer urging civic groups to sell sparklers as a means of raising money and beating the broken economy. I’m guessing it was timed for New Year’s Eve, and that I’ll likely get another in late June.

The press release quotes one happy fund-raiser as saying, “Some of our past youth are actually salespeople now.” In other words, children selling fireworks is a great career opportunity.

No, gentle reader, those lights you see in the night sky are not comets.

The press release goes on to tell you that “You don’t have to convince anyone to buy fireworks … everyone wants to have a good time on New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July.”

What it doesn’t tell you is that sparklers, which reach temperatures of 2,000°F, are the third-leading cause of fireworks injuries and that 45% of the injuries occur to children 15 or younger. This sobering, terrestrial data comes from a 2005 U.S. Fire Administration report. The report shows that the number of annual fireworks injuries between 1991 and 2003 range from a low of 7,000 to a high of 11,000. The report goes on to say that in 2002 there were 23,200 fireworks-related fires that caused $35 million in property loss. The loss of property was relatively low because most of the fires occurred outside where fireworks are used. That, however, is cold comfort given the severity and number of recent wildland fires.

And it was fireworks that were to blame for a high-rise fire in Beijing earlier this month that killed one firefighter.

When the little fellow with the too-big eyes dropped the press release on my desk, I was outraged. After my profanity-laced tirade subsided and my office mates stopped looking at me cross-eyed, I though of Saturday Night Live. In the early days, Dan Akroyd played a character named Irwin Mainway, a shifty toy manufacturer who passionately defended his dangerous toys, such as bag of broken glass, as an ideal gift for children.

Fire chiefs have as much to worry about today as probably any time in their careers. But I ask that you keep an eye to the sky for this style of fund raising. Ask the firefighters on your department to do likewise. Ask your civic groups to choose safe fund-raising items. If these invaders land in your community, don’t believe the “we come in peace” offering, run them out of town or back to Area 51.

The absurdity of the SNL skit makes it funny. But the absurdity of positioning dangerous fireworks as great way to buy uniforms for a youth group, and asking the editor of Fire Chief to help promote this, is not funny. It is irresponsible and a danger to humans.

Live long and prosper.

“Karma” is not a word you hear used in the fire service, but humor me for a minute.

For some, karma is a religious term. For most, it means actions that bring about inevitable results — good or bad. As my grandmother told me, “What goes around, comes around.” I think many fire chiefs and officers need to learn a little more about karma.

On Jan. 9, a Boston ladder truck careened out of control when the truck’s brakes failed, killing 30-year-old Lt. Kevin Kelley. It came to light that Boston Fire Department does not have certified mechanics or emergency vehicle technicians working in its fleet services. Did someone not see a connection here?

On Dec. 31, 10 days before the fatal crash, Ladder 23 crashed into a fence when its brakes failed. After the fatal crash on Jan. 9, more apparatus stories emerged. A rescue truck’s throttle linkage snapped while responding to a fire call, and newspapers headlined with stories about broken air horns, racing engines and more brake problems. The department began to inspect apparatus but had to stop the inspections because it was taking so many rigs out of service. Even the department’s 37-year-old fireboat was docked temporarily.

What goes around comes around, and there’s enough blame to pass around in Boston. The fire commissioner seems to be a well-credentialed young man in an old department. Boston’s Local 718 has a strong, dedicated union president. The Boston Fire Department has 1,467 uniformed personnel and 70 companies and units. Did any think about the quality of apparatus maintenance?

Boston ignored the critical need for regular and preventive maintenance by trained professionals. That ignorance and neglect killed a firefighter and brought the problem to a typeface was large enough for everyone to read. And Boston didn’t do anything that many other cities and fire departments across the country aren’t themselves doing.

If you don’t care about safety and apparatus maintenance, think about what you can live with when karma kicks in.

My contacts in Washington, D.C., surprised me with their same refrain to questions about President Barack Obama’s $787 billion recovery package: “We don’t know yet.”

The stimulus package includes $515 million for reduction of wildfire threats, including the removal of hazardous fuels on public lands; $250 million for state and local volunteer programs and hazardous fuels-reduction efforts, which states have determined are the highest priority; $250 million for urgently needed hazard reduction on federal lands; and $15 million for hazardous fuels reduction through the Bureau of Land Management.

The stimulus package also eliminates local governments’ requirement to match FY 2009 and FY 2010 funds for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grants.

The $210 million for renovation, addition or construction of non-federal fire stations, with a maximum grant of $15 million and up to 5% of the funds also may be used for grant administration.

This is particularly good news for fire departments that can take advantage of the economic opportunities currently available in construction.

“Now is an excellent time to build,” said Brian Harris, AIA, LEED AP, of Seattle’s TCA Architecture Planning. “The timing is good because construction costs are deeply discounted — 25% — and what’s driving that is labor costs and common items such as wood, concrete have really come down and ready-made products are fairly stable.”

Harris added, “My sense is that there’s money there, but given the cost of facilities and spread across the country, how far will that money go.”

According to Bill Webb, director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute, the release of the stimulus bill is a good time to be in contact with your Congressional leaders. Find your representative here.

Make sure you’re on your representatives’ radar screen by sending them a letter inviting them to join the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. If they already belong to the Fire Caucus, thank them for being part of the largest caucus in Washington, D.C. Samples of an invitation and a thank you letter can be found on the CFSI Web site.

For the straight talk on how the stimulus package will impact you and your department, attend the Congressional Fire Services Institute’s 21st Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Seminar and Dinner, April 1–2.

Whether it’s $500 million to clear out brush to prevent wildfires or $210 million for fire stations, these big numbers really frighten me. Most fire departments have needs — not wants — and these needs would be met for less than $1 million a piece. The disbursement of this much money needs to be monitored carefully and cautiously.

Who will handle the distribution and how will they do it? I’m concerned. But then again, I’m from Illinois, and we’ve learned not to trust many people in state government. I bet federal government is different.

Are you ready to break ground on your next fire station? If so, prepare to apply for some of the $210 million allocated for fire stations in the new stimulus package. If not, there’s still time to get your new fire station shovel-ready.

The economic stimulus package signed into law this week by President Obama generated a lot of interest from fire chiefs and city managers in need of new fire stations or facilities for emergency response. While the amount is down from the initial $500 million requested for construction of new fire stations, $210 million can make a difference to a number of communities.

According to Barry Kasinitz, director of government affairs for the International Association of Fire Fighters, the term “shovel-ready” came from the list of projects the U.S. Conference of Mayors proposed to congressional leaders. On that list of education and public-service projects that were ready to start was new fire stations. The IAFF, with strong ties to the Democratic party, proposed including fire stations, as well as a waiver of the matching requirements for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grants.

The IAFF and the International of Fire Chiefs Association sent joint letters to congressional leaders to request stimulus money for the fire service. The IAFF requested funds for fire station construction for two reasons. First, by improving fire stations, the fund will protect the health and safety of firefighters and enhance emergency response capabilities. Second, the new construction will create thousands of good-paying jobs that will help boost the local economy.

“This funding will provide immediate aid to struggling communities, but even more importantly, it will be critical to helping jumpstart our ailing economy,” said IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger said.

The stimulus funds will be distributed by the Department of Homeland Security and through the FIRE Act Grants, but details of how the money will be disbursed has yet to be determined. “Everything with the stimulus money is still being sorted out,” said Kasinitz.

“Given the cost of facilities and spread across the country, how far will that money go?” asked Brian Harris, AIA, LEED AP, of Seattle’s TCA Architecture Planning.

The stimulus package for fire stations has a price cap on fire stations of $15 million. Of the 71 entries in FIRE CHIEF’s 2008 Station Style Design Awards one fire station in New York was $9 million and several fire stations (most in California) were $7 million. The average price was around $3 million for career and combination stations and even less amount for volunteer fire stations. (These numbers exclude regional training facilities.)

“There’s an expectation of urban services, but when you look at third- or second-world countries, what’s adequate or inadequate varies by area,” Harris said. “The $210 million could have quite an impact on a lot of small departments.”

FireChief.com will include more information on fund distribution as it becomes available. The 2009 Station Style Conference also will feature a speaker discussing the stimulus package distribution process for fire stations. The conference will be held May 3–5 in Denver.

Harris said now is an excellent time to build. “The timing if good because construction costs are deeply discounted — 25% — and what’s driving that is labor costs and common items such as wood, concrete have really come down and ready-made products are fairly stable,” he said.

Money or not, now is the time to do the research on building your next fire station or facility. You never know when long-range planning becomes immediate.

“Good night, sleep tight” may be part of nursery rhyme, but bedbugs biting are a very grown-up problem in fire stations across the country. Just ask Cincinnati Fire Department Safety Officer/District Chief Ron Texter about his department’s little critter problem.

“There are a lot of bedbugs in this area, and the guys bring them back from calls,” he says. “One good thing is that they are pretty easy to kill, and if you stay on top of it, it’s not too much of a problem.”

Bedbugs were virtually destroyed in the United States 50 years ago by pesticides that contained DDT. Even as recently as 2000, no pesticide company in the United States treated for bedbugs as part of their service. But bedbugs have returned in recent years, and Texter says Cincinnati is one of the top-five cities in the country for bedbug infestations (New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Atlanta round out the top five) and every extermination company has a bedbug service.

“You can’t bring in new beds every time because you can bring [bedbugs] back from a call,” Texter says. “The best thing you can do is have the name of a company that is competent and have them ready to respond when the critters show up.”

Bedbugs multiply rapidly. Their eggs look like white dots and quickly develop into ¼-inch-long, six-legged reddish-brown insects that hide during the day and feast on blood at night. You can’t feel them because of an anticoagulant they inject in your skin while they suck your blood.

Cincinnati Fire Department now has covers for the mattresses and box springs to keep the bugs from crawling into the seams and welting and wooden frames. By encasing the beds in a material that is breathable yet resistant to bedbugs, the department has been able to keep stray bugs on top the covers. Cincinnati Fire Department supplies bedding to firefighters, yet some personnel prefer their own bedding. “Some don’t like the blended sheets we have and prefer pure cotton, while others like their own pillows,” Texter says.

Cincinnati takes special precautions to prevent firefighters from bringing bedbugs back to the station in the first place. “When we go out on a call, we have four on an engine company and two on a medic company. One person will stay standing and hold the medical bag so we’re not setting it down so the bedbugs can crawl into it,” Texter says. “It doesn’t always work, but the awareness is raised.”

The department recently responded to a fire where a woman doused her mattress with alcohol and pesticide, saturating the mattress with both to kill the bedbugs. The mattress caught fire, and the firefighters wanted their gear washed when they returned.

Temperatures around 120°F will kill bedbugs. “One of the primary methods is to put clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes,” says Texter. “We’ve [also] had success with parking vehicles in the summer time in the sun for two days, and the heat builds and kills bedbugs.”

Infestation is not an issue of hygiene or cleanliness; however, apartments and homeless shelters are more likely to be infested. Cincinnati Fire Department has adopted a regular pest control program to control the problem of bedbugs, as well as mice and roaches.

Texter believes it’s important to educate personnel on bedbug truths and myths. He recommends a Web site created by Michael Potter, extension entomologist for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. According to the site, bedbugs aren’t known to spread disease, but may be host to organisms that cause irritation or an allergic skin reaction.

Then there’s the problem of nits or head lice, but that’s for another time.

By Jennifer Miller

Asbestos isn’t a new problem for firefighters, yet it’s one that they often overlook. Indeed, firefighters have been facing the dangers of asbestos inhalation for decades.

Manufacturers of building products used asbestos freely through the first three-quarters of the 20th century, largely due to its low cost, quick availability, and impressive fire- and heat-resistance. But asbestos — when touched by fire or damaged in any way — releases dangerous, sharp fibers that become airborne and can be readily inhaled. The result of this may be the development of one of the world’s deadliest cancers — mesothelioma. Unfortunately, firefighters are among those at high risk for the disease, even more than 30 years after the government issued strict asbestos guidelines.

Many firefighters have responded at one time or another to a fire at an old house, manufacturing plant or other structure that surely contains asbestos, which was commonly used in insulation, shingles, floor and ceiling tiles and a host of other products. And while exposure is going to be much less than if one encountered the toxic material each day while on the job, experts have continually repeated the mantra: “There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos.”

Furthermore, asbestos is a hidden danger because no one is present at the fire to explain exactly where the asbestos is located and how to avoid it. That means firefighters literally go blindly into an asbestos-laden building, never quite sure where the mineral will materialize. It can be present when a building collapses or when a firefighter punches a hole in a wall. It can be found in crumbled concrete or in blistered plaster or paint.

So how can one be sure that firefighters heading into a blaze are prepared to handle the dangers of asbestos?

Actually, those that head directly into the burning building are probably at lowest risk for asbestos inhalation because they wear SCBA when encountering a blaze. Nevertheless, firefighters should be educated as to the most common uses of asbestos and where it is most often found inside a structure.

But what about those who stand outside and fight the blaze? Shouldn’t they be offered equal protection from asbestos inhalation? Perhaps it’s time to demand that those firefighters also don the gear that will prevent their exposure to airborne particles. Asbestos can certainly make its way to those individuals who are outside as well as inside, putting them at harms way each time they take a breath. Wearing a SCBA with a proper filter will eliminate this concern.

Perhaps at highest risk for exposure are those who remain at the site of the fire until the last tiny ember has been extinguished or those who investigate after a fire. Testing of rubble and other asbestos-containing debris after a blaze often shows high levels of the hazardous mineral left behind and that should be of immediate concern. Consider, for example, the aftermath of Sept. 11, terrorist attacks. First responders were quick to develop asbestos-related diseases and one paramedic even died of mesothelioma — a disease that normally remains latent for 20 to 40 years — within five years.

While one hopes never to encounter debris on such a grand scale ever again, even the remains of a smaller fire can — like the remains of 9/11 — be filled with toxic asbestos that’s left smoldering even after the flames are gone. Simply put, chiefs must be certain that those involved with overhaul or investigation wear SCBAs, especially if the presence of asbestos has been confirmed. Air monitoring should be a part of the plan as well in order to protect post-fire personnel from inhalation.

Furthermore, firefighters should be made to adhere to strict hygiene habits when involved with asbestos-containing fires or debris. SCBAs should be cleaned thoroughly and any protective clothing worn when asbestos is present should not be brought into common areas unless clean. Secondary exposure to asbestos is a very real threat and no firefighter would want colleagues or family to be exposed to its deadly fibers. Firefighters should hose off or have a place to shower to wash fibers from their body and hair before encountering others who are unprotected. Decontamination is best achieved at the scene of the fire.

More and more stories of firefighters being exposed to asbestos during training have surfaced. All structures that are to be used for training should be thoroughly inspected by fire officials before any exercises are conducted at the site. A simple inspection can avoid a potentially deadly problem and any asbestos found in the structure should be removed before firefighters are permitted to practice at that particular location.

An estimated 80% of all buildings constructed before 1978 contain asbestos in some form or another, including perhaps, the fire station. Firefighters may be working in a building that’s laden with asbestos. Search the Internet for stories about asbestos in fire stations and you’ll undoubtedly find many. While most chiefs understand the dangers of asbestos, many are unaware that the dangerous mineral may be right under their nose. Stories of damaged ceilings leaking asbestos or flaking pipe insulation are commonplace. Fire stations, just like schools and other public buildings, should have an effective asbestos management plan in place and have regular inspections. Any damaged materials should be removed or encapsulated by an asbestos-abatement professional, not a member of the fire department.

Jennifer Miller is an awareness and outreach coordinator for Mesothelioma.com. Through public-outreach efforts and the distribution of informational materials, Mesothelioma.com aims to increase awareness of asbestos exposure and the associated health risks, including the development of mesothelioma cancer.

After 18 years as fire chief of the St. Bernard Parish Fire Department in Chalmette, La., Chief Thomas Stone has many interesting stories, but none to compare to his most recent.

Three years ago, Hurricane Katrina destroyed all 10 of St. Bernard Parish’s fire stations and the equipment they stored, including 14 apparatus and nine command units. The community’s 70,000 residents lost their homes and all their possessions — the only parish or county to suffer 100% devastation on the Gulf Coast.

“Our firefighters rescued thousands of our citizens during extreme conditions and hardship,” Stone said. “Their dedication, ingenuity, fortitude and pride kept them on the job saving citizens even though they lost their homes, vehicles and many could not locate their family for days.”

Of the 10 fire stations, one now is operational and three more will open this spring. The remaining stations are in various stages of bids or construction. The department is currently using mobile homes to operate from six locations. Department apparatus is housed in bays that are missing doors and walls.

Stone is working with the FEMA Public Assistance Project Worksheet Program, but progress is slow and at times frustrating. FEMA has a new national design code that has had an impact on the design of the replacement fire stations, including floors that must be five feet above grade or sea level.

“I have witnessed, firsthand the failure of government at all levels,” Stone said. “FEMA changes personnel like people change their socks. What is agreed upon after many meetings is almost always changed when these personnel changes take place.”

Stone and Jay Chase, L7 Architects, will present the story of rebuilding St. Bernard Parish fire stations at the 2009 Station Style Conference, May 3–5 in Denver. The story of 10 fire stations lost and the process to rebuild to meet FEMA requirements is a story that needs to be heard.

By January 2006, Stone had lost 50% of his upper-management through retirements and resignations. Of the 70,000 residents in St. Bernard Parish, only 25,000 have returned and the tax-base is still down.

“I think that I have a story that others in my position may learn from,” Stone said.This year’s conference also will feature a new pre-conference session designed for volunteer departments with tight or low budgets. The new program, developed by Ronny Coleman, retired California state fire marshal and FIRE CHIEF columnist, is based on recent research and years of experience working with volunteer departments.

“What are the basics — the bare minimum — a fire station needs to exist?” asked Coleman. From the minimum to potential for growth, Coleman gets down to the guts of building a facility to meet the needs of a small fire department.

Other topics for the fourth annual conference will include how to select an architect (or if you need one), LEED certification versus just green, training facilities, and budgets — how and where of raising funds.

Stone and several other fire chiefs and project managers will share their lessons learned during the 2009 Station Style Conference. Can you afford not to hear your peers? Experience is a good teacher.

A friend and a true mentor during my career was the late Don Manno, who I first met when I was a student in the Executive Fire Officer Program almost two decades ago. Don was a storyteller and his passion was fire prevention.

Don began a class during the first week at the academy by role playing as the fire chief of the Tokyo Fire Service. He explained how the Japanese instilled taking responsibility for fire’s use, from the time a child was old enough to walk to the time they became grandparents. He stressed the importance of fire prevention, as the majority of Tokyo is frame construction. A small kitchen fire in one residence could mean a conflagration affecting many families before firefighters could arrive through the narrow, congested streets and closely built housing. Today, Japan has the world’s second-largest economy, yet has far fewer fires and fire fatalities than the United States.

Don had started his career in the Baltimore County (Md.) Fire Department. At his first assignment, he was asked by one of the department’s public educators to assist with a fire-prevention program. After the visit, his station captain strolled over and warned him, “Watch it, son. Them’s not real firefighters. Them’s the bureau.”

This winter, U.S Fire Administrator Greg Cade and the fire chiefs from the District of Columbia, Baltimore and Philadelphia held a press conference to discuss the more than 200 fire deaths in the United States that have occurred since the holidays. They stressed just one thing — the importance of working smoke alarms to save lives. This national call needs to be echoed in every fire station and fire hall throughout the country. At a time when the economic downturn may mean slashing essential services, prevention and public education may be the first to go from fire department budgets.

A colleague suggested just the opposite. What would happen if we in the fire service really focused on prevention and education during these hard economic times? The preliminary work of the Vision 2020 Committee in part calls for a renewed emphasis on fire prevention as a way to reduce firefighter fatalities. Look at groups such as the Institution of Fire Engineers–U.S. Branch and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation that have taken up this challenge as part of their mission to reduce firefighter deaths. Consider the possibilities if “we” became “them, the bureau.”